Article crushing apparatus



Jan. 12, 1954 s; KAWA ARTICLE CRUSHING APPARATUS 4 SQeets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 16, 1951 srai iliilaliflrllltlldllz INVENTOR- muel Kama ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 12, 1954 s. KAWA ARTICLE CRUSHING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledNOV. 16, 1951 L y 6 3 mw/M a M 4 J a MW m m 3 m 1 M W W w ma a T A bw Vw I W 1, J H M w 1 z n w. Y n B Jew M n 2 6 6 M H ,1 2 11 H w m w; m z na 7 3 m M 1 A M L w L6 5/ M L Pa 5 M 3 M 6 4 l||\\ Z 1 B 3 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 12, 1954 5, K w 2,665,632

ARTICLE CRUSHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5'.121

INVENTOR: BB") I 1 1 1 1 r 11 1 1 1111 11111 1111! III 111 I 777L181 (iiW13, (5M 1 A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 12, 1954 s. KAWA ARTICLE CRUSHING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Nov. 16, 1951 INVENTOR: ,S'fimel fiwa, BY X 4402..

ATTORNEYS.

.as they are deposited into the receptacle.

Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Samuel Kawa,Philadelphia, Pa.

ApplicationNovembcr 16, 1951, Serial No. 256,732

3 Claims. 1

Thisinventionrelates to anarticle crushing apparatus, and moreparticularly concerns are- .ceptacle into which relatively bulky orvoluminous crushable objects such as paper cups, for example, may beinserted, such apparatus including automatic means for crushing thearticles or obiiects as an incident to their insertion into thereceptacle.

Conventional receptacles, particularly those receptacles adapted forstoring paper objects such as cups and the like, are subject to theobjection 'that their capacity is limited and they are accordinglyrapidly filled up when relatively voluminous crushable objects areinserted there- .in. Paper cups are ordinarily of conical or:frusto-conical form and when deposited at random into a receptacle theyoccupy a very large volume.

It is accordingly one object of this invention to provide apparatus forstoring in a relatively small space a plurality of relatively voluminouscrushable objects such as paper cups or the like. Another object is toprovide apparatus including a receptacle for crushable objects incombination with automatic means for crushing said objects Still anotherobject is to provide means for increasing the storage capacity of areceptacle adapted to contain crushable objects such as paper cups orthe like.

It has previously been proposed to provide crusher devices for papercups, wherein a first paper cup is received and crushed as an incidentto manipulation of a lever or linkage, and retained in the crusherdevice until the next time the lever or linkage is manipulated. However,this is subject to the objection that the subsequent manipulation of theapparatus does not always free the first cup crushed, and the presenceof the first cup sometimes interferes with the ultimate crush ing of thesecond cup, and mayin certain instances jam or clog the crusher elementsof the device.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which inone cycle of operation receives, crushes and discards a crushable objectinserted therein.

It is a still further object of this invention to providea'substantially enclosed receptacle for paper and other crushableobjects having a door or other closure which may be manipulated to openthe enclosure and deposit :a crushable object therein, together withautomatic means'for crushing said object and depositing it into thereceptacle as anincidentto the opening and closin of the enclosure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, including the simplicityand economy of the same as well as the efficiency of arrangement of theparts of the apparatus, will appear in further detail hereinafter and inthe drawings, whereof:

Fig. 1 represents a view in perspective showing an apparatus whichconstitutes one specific embodiment of this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 represent sectional views taken as indicated by the linesand arrows 11-11 and III-III, respectively, which appear in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4-7 represent fragmentary diagrammatic sectional viewssubstantially similar to Fig. 3, showing the positions assumed bycertainparts of the apparatus at successive stages in its :operation.

Turning now to the drawings, and specifically to Figs. 1-3 thereof, thenumber In designatesan enclosure having a front wall II, back wall 12and side walls 13. The enclosure .includes a rounded hood element [4 atthe top thereof. A door I5 is mounted on hinges l6 on'the back wall l2of the enclosure I0.

The number I! represents an opening formed centrally at the top of thehood element It through which crushable objects such as paper cups andthe like may be inserted. Along the front edge Ila of the opening I] isa rubber channel 25, while metal channels 2| are disposed around theback and side edges of the opening 1]. The number 25 represents a pairof vertical stiffener channels which are mounted substantially centrallyon the inner face of each enclosure side wall l3.

Formed along the bottom side edges Within the enclosure 10, andaifixedto the floor 22, are angle irons 23 serving as guide track meanscoacting with the floor 23 to guide and support a receptacle 24 whichisopen at the top and movable into and out of the enclosure Ill throughthe rear door l5. The receptacle 24 is constructed and arranged with itsopen top directly below the opening I! in the enclosure l0, and servesasa storage container for the crushable objects, such as the crushedcups C shown in Fig. 1, within the enclosure Ill.

The receptacle 24 has front and back walls 26, lower side Walls 21,angled side walls 30 which form shoulders on the receptacle, and upperside wall portions 3!. Upper side wall portions 3! are spaced closer toone another than the lower side wall elements 2?. The number 32represents a handle on the receptacle 24 facilitating its removal fromthe enclosure i0, whereby the ,receptacle 24 maybe lifted over theretainer flange .33 formed along the lower edge of the back wall l2 ofenclosure l0. While the drawings disclose such a retainer flange 33which has the advantages of strength and rigidity as well as positiveretention of the receptacle 24 within the enclosure II), it will beappreciated that in instances where strength and positive retention arenot primary factors the retainer flange 33 may be eliminated and therear door 5 extended downwardly to the floor 22, thereby facilitatingremoval of receptacle 24 from enclosure without lifting.

Fixed by means of screws 34 to the side walls I3 is a resilient fixedcrusher plate 35 which is disposed at an angle to the vertical andspaced somewhat rearwardly of the center of the enclosure ID. A pair ofpivot pins 36 extend through the stiffener channels 25, such pivot pins36 having a common axis disposed substantially in a plane common to theplane of the fixed crusher plate 35. One of the pivot pins 36 carries alever 31 and a handle 40. Fixed to this pivot pin 36, by means of asquare joint 33, is a vertical arm 4| which has capacity to swing withinthe enclosure l0 about the axis of pivot pin 36. An" other similarvertical arm 4| is pivoted to the other pivot pin 36. A door 42, affixedto the top of each arm 4|, is curved to conform with the curvature ofthe hood element M. The door 42 is disposed immediately adjacent theinner face of hood element I4 and the opening therein. It has capacityto swing through an are immediately adjacent said opening ll to open andclose the opening. A movable crusher plate 43 has a top flange 44 andend flanges 45 which respectively secure the movable crusher plate 43 tothe-door 42 and to each of the arms 4|. Affixed to the face of themovable crusher plate 43 which faces the fixed crusher plate 35 is arubber facing 46 having vertical ribs 47. The number 48 represents apair of pendulum weights each of which is fixed to one of the arms 4|below the axis of pivot pin 36. Each pendulum it is disposed in a spacebetween the upper portion 3| of the side wall of receptacle 24 and thecorresponding side wall |3 of enclosure ID.

The door 42, see particularly Fig. 3 of the drawings, has a greaterarcuate length than the side edge of opening l1, and normally overlapsthe inner wall of hood element M at both the front and back boundariesof the opening I! when the pendulum structure including the arms 4| and,pendulum weights 48 assumes its normal vertical rest position. Thenumber 49 represents a rubber channel strip formed at the front edge 50of the door 42, while the number represents a pair of stops which areaffixed to the side walls l3 and disposed in the path of movement of thearms 4| and the movable crusher plate 43. The stops 5| are disposed at agreater angle to the pendulum rest position than is the fixed crusherplate 35.

The operation of the device will be apparent, having particularreference to Figs. 4-7 of the drawings. Assuming the apparatus isinitially in its normal rest position as shown in Fig. 4, with the arms4| maintained in a vertical position by the action of gravity onpendulum weights 48, a person desiring to discard a crushable objectsuch as the paper cup C grasps the handle 40 and swings it through anarc in the direc tion indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 until the movablearms 4| and end flanges 45 contact the stops 5|. Concurrently with-theswinging of handle 40, the door 42 swings to the position shown in Fig.5 wherein its front edge 50 is substantially in alignment with the backedge of the opening I1. Also the pendulum weights 48 swing upwardlythrough an equal angle to the position shown in Fig. 5. At this pointeach arm 4|, and the movable crusher plate 43, is disposed at a greaterangle to the vertical than is the fixed crusher plate 35. The cup C isthen dropped through the opening I! and is caught between the fixed andmovable crusher plates 35, 43 which are disposed at angles to oneanother and spaced apart from one another at the lower extremitiesthereof. By reason of the spacing and angular relation of the crusherplates a conical or frusto-conical cup C is cradled between the crusherplates with its curved side walls in contact with the crusher plates, asindicated in Fig. 5.

The handle 40 is then released, whereupon the pendulum weights 48, underthe influence of gravity, swing the door 42 to the closed position shownin Fig. 6, concurrently swinging the movable crusher plate 43 throughand beyond the vertical position into sudden contact with the fixedcrusher plate 35, thereby crushing the cup C. It is important to observethat, at the instant the cup C is crushed the door 42 is in position toclose the opening IT. This is of importance from a standpoint of safetyand also retains any liquid that may be liberated as a result of the cupbeing crushed within the confines of enclosure l8.

By reason of the momentum and resiliency of the crusher plates 35, 43 aswell as the rubber facing 46, the movable crusher plate 43 rebounds fromfixed crusher plate 35 after completing the crushing operation. Suchrebound carries the movable crusher plate 43 through and beyond thevertical position to the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby increasingthe spacing between the respective crusher plates at the bottomextremities thereof. This provides free space through which the crushedcup C readily falls. The crushed cup C is received in the removablereceptacle 24, and the action of gravity on pendulum weights 48ultimately returns the elments of the apparatus to the position shown inFig. 4, whereupon the next crushable object may be received andprocessed in the manner described.

It will be appreciated that, while I have shown crusher elements in theform of plates having flat faces, other crusher elements performing thesame function are equivalent thereto. For example, I have found that onecrusher plate may be provided with apertures and the other crusher platewith spikes or other perforating means arranged in alignment with saidapertures. The perforating means are adapted to penetrate through theapertures when the crusher plates are brought together. In accordancewith such construction, the spike or perforating elements penetratethrough the opposed side wallsv of a paper cup as it is crushed, locallydeformingsaid walls and crimping the deformed portions together to suchan extent that the walls of -the paper cup are held together after thecrushed cup is released from the crusher elements. This is of greatadvantage in that it minimizes the tendency of the cup walls to moveapart after crushing, which is their normal tendency by reason of theirinherent elasticity. The number of cups stored in a receptacle of givenvolume is materially increased as a result of this construction, wherebythe volume of each crushed cup is maintained at a minimum.

. It will further be appreciated that in instances where the retainerflange 33 is eliminated, the

hinged door may be replaced by a slidable door, such slidable doorpreferably being fixed directly to the back wall of the removablereceptacle 24.

It will be appreciated that while I have shown and described pendulummeans having a normally vertical rest position, the invention alsoembraces the use of weight means having a nonvertical inoperativeposition, such weight means being supported on a stop element orequivalent device. For example, for convenience and economy ofmanufacture, the arm 4| may extend at an angle upwardly into the hoodelement I4 at an angle to the vertical, thereby providing additionalstorage space for the crushed objects. Under such conditions aconventional rectangular receptacle may be substituted for thereceptacle 24.

Although I have described in considerable detail one example of myinvention, it will be appreciated that the apparatus is capable of awide variety of applications and uses and that certain features thereofmay be used to advantage without the use of other features. It is to beunderstood that the specific mechanisms referred to and claimed hereinare intended to comprehend all mechanical equivalents and reversals ofparts which function in a similar manner to accomplish the same result.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Article crushing apparatus comprising crusher plates one movabletoward and away from the other, pendulum means fixed to the movablecrusher plate, said pendulum means having a normally vertical restposition, manually operable means for separating said crusher plates toadmit the article therebetween, said crusher plates having retainerportions which retain the article between them when they are thusseparated, said manually operable means also swinging said pendulummeans away from the vertical whereby the pendulum means has capacityupon release of said manually operable means to move the movable crusherplate under gravity action toward the other crusher plate to crush thearticle therebetween, and resilient means operable when the crusherplates come together to cause the movable crusher plate to rebound awayfrom said other crusher plate after crushing the article, whereby freespace is provided between the retainer portions of said crusher platesimmediately below the crushed article through which the crushed articlemay fall.

2. A paper cup crusher comprising a housing having an opening at the topthereof, an arm pivotally mounted for swinging movement about a pivotpoint in said housing, a door fixed on said arm with capacity toreciprocate adjacent said opening, said door including extensionelements extending beyond the boundaries of said opening immediatelyadjacent the inner face of said housing, a weight fixed on said arm, afixed crusher plate fixed inside said housing below said opening, and amovable crusher plate fixed on said arm, said weight and said movablecrusher plate being secured to said arm on opposite sides of said pivotpoint whereby said movable crusher plate has capacity to move towardsaid fixed crusher plate under the sole influence of said weight tocrush said cup as an incident to swinging said door to close saidopening, and a resilient facing on one of the crusher plates causingsaid movable plate to rebound away from said fixed plate after crushingthe cup.

3. Article crushing apparatus comprising a housing having an openingtherein, a pendulum pivotally mounted below said opening, said pendulumhaving a normal rest position, means for swinging said pendulum aboutits pivot, a dynamic crusher plate fixed on said pendulum for swingingmovement through an are about said pivot, a static crusher platedisposed in the path of swinging movement of said dynamic crusher plateat one side of the rest position of said pendulum, and stop meansadapted to limit the movement of said dynamic crusher plate at adefinite stop point at the opposite side of said rest position, saidstop point being at a greater arouate angle from the rest position thanis said static crusher plate, said stop also being so positioned thatthe opening between the separated crusher plates is wider than thecrushed article but of less width than the article before crushing.

SAMUEL KAWA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 697,655 OLeary Apr. 15, 1902 1,300,710 Edwards Apr. 15, 19192,190,971 Boedeker Feb. 20, 1940 2,235,712 Lehr Mar. 8, 1941 2,354,349Polsen et a1 July 25, 1944 2,493,193 Hait e Jan. 3, 1950 2,572,286 SmithOct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 141,275 Germany 1903

